December 2019: 15 Tips to Green Your Meeting

Pollution prevention at work has never been easier! Planning a “green” meeting, workshop, conference or event is simple, cost-effective and energy-efficient. The following tips can assist you in reducing meeting-related environmental impacts.

Before the Meeting

• Use electronic invitations and online registration websites to reduce paper use.
• Remind attendees to bring their own reusable bottles, cups, plates and silverware in the invitation or registration confirmation email.
• Keep an updated headcount so that the proper amount of food is ordered to minimize food waste.
• Encourage participants to make more sustainable travel choices, such as carpooling.

During the Meeting

• Encourage attendees to use water refill stations or provide beverage pitchers to avoid plastic bottles and aluminum cans. If single-serve beverages are the only option, remind attendees to appropriately recycle them.
• Order food, such as sandwiches, on platters. Keep fruit and other items like chips or cookies separate. This way participants will take what they will eat and waste less food.
• Serve sugar, creamers and condiments in reusable dishes rather than single-use packets. Purchase refreshments and other packaged items with minimal packaging.
• Use reusable materials for name tags. Collect the plastic holders after the event.
• Turn off projectors and other equipment when not in use.
• Limit handouts; most of them end up in the garbage anyway. If handouts are necessary, use double-sided copies and recycled paper. Avoid putting dates on handouts to reduce paper waste. Use reusable signage whenever possible.
• Announce recycling as part of the meeting during the welcome, lunch and closing. Describe the location of the recycling bins and what can be recycled. If possible, request that recycling bins be placed near trash cans at the event.
• Offer eco-friendly giveaways, such as recycled pencils and notepads, stainless steel straws or other reusable items.
• After the Meeting
• Circulate meeting minutes, presentations or handouts electronically after the meeting via email or post them on your website.
• Donate surplus food when possible to local shelters and food banks.
• Collect appropriate food scraps for composting, if that is an option.

 
View additional tips on Greening Your Meetings video on the NHDES YouTube Channel and the EPA’s Greening Your Meetings and Conferences guide.

This GREENWorks article can be also be found in our document library.